WHAT'S IN HER BAG

Janet's essentials

1. my Bottega Veneta wallet: this was one of the first gifts my husband gave me. It's about 10 years old now, and a bit beat up, but I still love it.
2. little Coach wristlet: my sister gave each of her bridesmaids one of these, in different colors, last fall. If I'm going out, sans kids, and don't need to haul a big bag of stuff, I carry this. It's just the right size for cell phone, keys, money, and a lipstick.
3. cute little pill box by RISD grad Gail Ahlers. Chicer than a Ziploc baggie for carrying drugs.
4. Prada sunglasses: another gift from my husband. I don't care if oversized sunglasses are in or out at the moment, I still love them.
5. The New Yorker: I never go anywhere without something to read. If I have to wait for even 5 minutes, I get anxious without a magazine to look at. The New Yorker is a longtime favorite and it's also thin and easy to roll up in my bag. (That's Iran's president Ahmadinejad on the cover).
6. the keys to my Mini: I got a little yellow Cooper a few weeks ago, and it's by far the most fun car I've driven.
7. Notebook and Stedtler pencil: I have a terrible memory so I like to have a small sketchbook with me to jot down ideas, funny quotes, books I want to read, etc. The Stedtler 3B pencil is my favorite for drawing, so if I want to discreetly sketch the person across the aisle from me on the train, it's handy to have one of these and a kneaded eraser.
8. Chanel bronzer my skin takes on a deathly pallor in the winter, and this gives me just a hint of tan, so I look slightly less zombie-like.
9. Motorola cell phone: an unfortunate necessity that I resisted for as long as I could. I hate talking on the phone and do it as little as possible, but with two kids in school, I feel like I need to be reachable.

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